DANVILLE, IL. -- A total team effort by the Grand Rapids Community College men's basketball team has propelled the Raiders into the next round of the National Junior College Athletic Association Division II Tournament.

GRCC rallied for an 82-79 victory Thursday against Bismarck State (N.D.) to remain alive in the double-elimination tournament.

The Raiders (21-10) rebounded from a 76-61 loss in a first-round game Wednesday and now face host school Danville Area Community College in a consolation-bracket matchup Friday at 2 p.m. Eastern time.

“It was a great team win,” GRCC coach T.J. Carnegie said after holding off Bismarck State. “We had a couple of guys who were playing with some nerves in a different environment (in the first-round loss).

“They were a lot calmer today. You have to have that this time of the year.”

Alex Lyle, a sophomore from Wayland, finished the regular season as GRCC's leading scorer. He was held scoreless in Wednesday's loss to South Mountain (Ariz.), but he bounced back to lead the Raiders with 15 points.

Lyle was one of five Raiders who finished in double figures in scoring.

Their team approach to defense and balanced scoring helped make the difference in the second half. The score was tied with almost two minutes left in regulation, but GRCC made clutch free throws when it mattered.

“Everybody really stepped up at the end,” Carnegie said. “Our guys stepped up and made some free throws down the stretch.”